Jump to content
Diadem Forums

[SPAZZ] Fan Anxiety?


CptFantasy

Recommended Posts

Fandom can be a bit of a rollercoaster ride at times when you're emotionally attached to a group.

Let's face it, we're not robots and each of us obviously cared enough about T-ARA to create a Diadem forum account.

Since their debut, T-ARA has achieved phenomenal success in Korea as well as internationally but they've also experienced some terrible setbacks and to an extent, we can't help but experience the fan feelings that accompany their successes as well as their misfortunes.

12265520106_70c15531be_o.jpg

Fig.1 Gary Kang from Running Man - CR: SBS

For example, it was hard not to feel bad for Jiyeon when she was struggling through a Number Nine performance with an injured knee.

People can also feel bad when antis are posting hateful comments on the girls' Instagrams.

Sometimes it might even be a generalized anxiety over not knowing what the future holds.

12265003524_698c851c1e_o.jpg

Fig 2. Sometimes you just need a hug. CR: Osen

I make animated gifs to memorialize the good times when I'm feeling anxious. I actually do that when I'm not feeling anxious too but this generally makes me feel good and I hope it does something similar for you.

12023389626_8d11278dbc_o.gif

Fig 3. Roly Poly on Simply Kpop was a great moment.

If you experience fan anxiety, do you have a personal remedy? Talking helps and this is a very supportive group we're part of.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everyday I listening to T-ara songs.

When I'm happy, mad, and sad I always play their music. Sometimes when I'm feel bored, I watch their MV's in my laptop or through my DVD Player. Then sometimes I dancing followed the videos. Its make me happy and helps make my day when I do that. I'm happy to be in this fandom, this is the first and the best fandom I've found this far. T-ara and Queen's Fighting! We're one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really wish i could make gifs of all the T-ara members smiling when my mood is down. However, since i am not ale to make them then i do the next best thing. Listening to T-ara. Just hearing their voices brings my mood back up^^

Hey TNTkid... I'm glad you found your way over here. I appreciate seeing you as a frequent visitor on my tumblr.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everyday I listening to T-ara songs.

When I'm happy, mad, and sad I always play their music. Sometimes when I'm feel bored, I watch their MV's in my laptop or through my DVD Player. Then sometimes I dancing followed the videos. Its make me happy and helps make my day when I do that. I'm happy to be in this fandom, this is the first and the best fandom I've found this far. T-ara and Queen's Fighting! We're one.

Yes to this!! I also watchvariety shows with T-ara or any member in them especially the funny ones

Although i tend to watch Hyomin in IY most of the time :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Phailinator

I think I have this 'fan anxiety' often. And I hate myself for it.

Personal remedy? One friend that I share everything with and he knows exactly how to put me back up. He has helped me through a lot of stuff.
Also other Queen's of course. I know that if I'm in trouble and I share my story, they'll have my back.
Their variety appearances, their short videos, their performances, their SNS posts are making me know that they are still happy and enjoying the things that they do.
And of course, the GIFs ^ O ^

Really nice thread! Thank you for starting something like it!

Also uhm... Who's that on your avatar?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm, I not aware there actually looking at gifs able to make you feel better and memoralize the good times.

For me, whenever I encountered a setback being a T-ara fan, such as viewing bad comment or get reminded of their scandal, I'd just take a deep breathe then listen to their music. Listening to T-ara songs gives me enjoyment and strength and remind me why I choose to be in the fandom in the first place. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I have this 'fan anxiety' often. And I hate myself for it.

Personal remedy? One friend that I share everything with and he knows exactly how to put me back up. He has helped me through a lot of stuff.

Also other Queen's of course. I know that if I'm in trouble and I share my story, they'll have my back.

Their variety appearances, their short videos, their performances, their SNS posts are making me know that they are still happy and enjoying the things that they do.

And of course, the GIFs ^ O ^

Really nice thread! Thank you for starting something like it!Also uhm... Who's that on your avatar?

Don't hate yourself for feeling. It's natural and fighting it doesn't make it better.

As for the guy in my avatar his name is Bulldaegal and he is the frontman from a band named No Brain. They mostly play small venues but occasionally they'll make an appearance on one of the more popular music shows. Lots of indie stuff happens in Korea too.

Everyone here know's by now I like Eunjung but this group has 5 other members I admire too. It's a team and I support them all.

Plus I feel in some ways this photo is a better representation of me than Eunjung. After a while it didn't feel natural for me to put myself into her likeness anymore. It created a symbolism I didn't feel comfortable with but that's just my baggage and not a critique on anyone else's avatar choice. We all find our own ways to express ourselves. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made a tumblr during the Hwayoung incident that kinda helped me deal with it. When it first started though MAN it was miserable around here. It feels crazy to admit it, but being a fan is seriously hard work. But I've grown to appreciate the small victories with T-ara. When you root for the underdog every success is that much sweeter, and I've really learned to stop caring about what other people think. As far as I'm concerned, T-ara's music keeps getting better and better. As a fan, that's all that matters, right? Things are looking up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I made a tumblr during the Hwayoung incident that kinda helped me deal with it. When it first started though MAN it was miserable around here. It feels crazy to admit it, but being a fan is seriously hard work. But I've grown to appreciate the small victories with T-ara. When you root for the underdog every success is that much sweeter, and I've really learned to stop caring about what other people think. As far as I'm concerned, T-ara's music keeps getting better and better. As a fan, that's all that matters, right? Things are looking up.

They have been super successful lately.

Treasure Box and their Japan tour were big successes. Number Nine almost won Inkigayo and Do You know Me was a hit.

The Chengdu show went well too. I'm very happy for them. :)

I'm happy how they've found their niche as a retro group. They're really hitting that angle hard between Again1977 and Hyomin & Eunjung's recent TV appearances. It's a good move because it establishes them as a mature and unique group during a time when a lot of groups out there are sounding more and more alike.

One change I've made lately is to delete my Instagram acct. I didnt post anything there, I just used it to look at new pics.

It was a Soyeon inspired action. I don't know if she deleted her acct because of the antis but I did because I didn't want to see people trying to bully the girls anymore. I figured all the instagram messages would be reposted here anyway but In retrospect I miss Qri's updates. I didnt think that part through.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hahaha, this fandom isn't exactly rainbow and cupcakes that's for sure. But that's exactly why I was hooked on, it gave me a reason to care, to roots for them. Other groups are just...not as exciting and I'm losing interest in K-pop in general, if not for a handful few musicians in it.

Feeling anxiety is humane ofc, the worst for me is the anxiety toward unpredictable future. I have my ways to let out steam, like writing fanfics which I found to be very relaxing. Other times I just shared everything with my GF and we would laughed it off, it helps that she and I loved the same thing, and hated the same thing as well. I guess what I meant to say is talking about your feelings is what really helps whether it's to your friends or in an online community like this.

Seriously, admitting you have anxiety isn't a sin. You're just a human after all. That's on your genetic code. Hahaha

I figured all the instagram messages would be reposted here anyway but In retrospect I miss Qri's updates. I didnt think that part through.

Having a clarity is great and all, but...come on! Qri's updates are amazing. ^^ You should definitely return to IG again. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seriously, admitting you have anxiety isn't a sin. You're just a human after all. That's on your genetic code. Hahaha

Having a clarity is great and all, but...come on! Qri's updates are amazing. ^^ You should definitely return to IG again. :)

Away from the internet I'm isolated in this fandom so I appreciate being able to connect with fans here and share experiences.

Staying away from toxic people is good but I figure you cant push away the people you like in the process. Otherwise, what's the point?

So I re-signed back onto Instagram. :]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fan anxiety remedy???

me, i Just brush my shoulder to those who leave hateful comments., (i mean they're just haters., they don't know anything. they just love to hate)

and for the injuries., i don't mind if they go on a break, it's for their own good.,

Just think that you know them better than the haters., and they are humans like us, ofcorz sometimes they make a mistake

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hahaha, this fandom isn't exactly rainbow and cupcakes that's for sure. But that's exactly why I was hooked on, it gave me a reason to care, to roots for them. Other groups are just...not as exciting and I'm losing interest in K-pop in general, if not for a handful few musicians in it.

Haha I share the exact same sentiments. T-ara can be one of the greatest groups but at the same time the group that got into quite some trouble. Not so much of anxiety but a feeling to support them, watch them stand on stages again and win back the former glory they lost, and most importantly seeing themselves enjoy their stages. And it is a group that gives myself motivation, to not give up easily, to see through everything because knowing what they've been through (regardless of how much truth there is to the accusations), it seems as my own troubles have disappeared

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good talk. I appreciate the different perspectives. Thank you.

Last night I listened to "Absolute" from start to finish which I hadn't done in a while as I was making those "Do You Know Me?" BTS gifs.

I was in my happy place there. ^ ^

Tangent: Commencing new avatar!

I like No Brain but I think I'm more of a Gary sort of person. Plus I like the black suit look. ke

I also I made a new signature from gifs I made last night.

Now I can represent my bias, the group as a whole and maintain a somewhat unique avatar identity. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OP - I know we've had our major disagreements in the past regarding the nature of T-ara's work environment and all that surrounding it, but I do believe you've raised a very good point and topic here, and would be a good source of discussion amongst fans in regards to what they feel about T-ara and the fandom overall in various situations, as some posters here have said.

And in any case, sorry if my arguments came out a bit excessive in tone. It's a habit that I just can't get rid of, among many other reasons..

In fact, I think this thread would be a good place for fans to 'vent out' their thoughts, emotions etc. about T-ara overall in whatever situation they're in >< But that's just me. I digress.

Warning, long ass detailed post (thank heavens my new job's shift hours and working environment is nowhere near as crap as the last one ><)

Anyways...

I must openly say this, because I don't want to beat the bush;

If in the case you see antis making very crude and illogical comments regarding T-ara, then the best option is to ignore it, pretend it wasn't there and then use whichever remedy you have to calm yourself down and move on.

@heraldc mentions that the fandom itself isn't really rainbows and cupcakes, and not surprisingly, the incident in 2012 and many others following that, arguably, have actually made a number of people becoming very sensitive (in a bad way) and reactionary towards anything that is even the most slightly critical of the group (case example - a certain person called Jacques in NetizenBuzz) - in fact, it makes them just as bad as the antis, if not even worse.

I'm pretty sure if T-ara saw some of their comments, they'd feel pretty gutted and guilty about to see their own fans resorting to stuff antis do. Bluntly put, it doesn't help them in any way, unless the members happen to be incredibly immature or enjoy seeing fan-vs-anti fights online, eating some popcorn and drinking soda in their van :3

Being a fan is hard stuff at times, no doubt about it.

When you see the idol (or heck, just about any celebrity you're a fan of) having a hard time in whichever way, you automatically feel stuffy about the whole thing. Completely normal, and the anxiety can be a huge headache at times. Though at times, some people let it get to their heads a bit too far and BAM! Fully psycho-defensive mode activated, and it makes a strong path towards losing rationality and neutrality, and eventually becoming no less different to an anti as far as mindset/behavior goes.

I'd note that maintaining neutrality is something a lot of K-pop fans actually seem to lack

That being said, if you feel down, blast yourself with the remedy you got if you feel down because of x idol having a hard time. This sort of anxiety emotion is no different to how you feel when your favorite sports team loses a major game or just about anything that's nerve-wrecking in general. Cure to that? Find a hobby to lax yourself, take a deep breath and keep steady with a cool head :) In my case, I just write fanfics, watch Team Fortress 2 videos or listen to some of my favorite T-ara songs on my computer or phone and play a couple rounds of AVA. Result? Feel much better.

See somethin' bad happen? Turn your head away from it quick as possible and blast up that planned remedy you got to knock it out of you. In the case of T-ara, if you fail to do that, then think for a second before you type down an angry fan response to someone whose comment is either stupid/unpleasant/out of reality/flat-out wrong - "What would T-ara think of me if they read this? What would they think of the fans who are doing the same thing I'm just about to do?"

All in all, I think people would learn a lot from this meme. Yes, a bit comedic, but I think it does say a lot in relation to this topic.

kim-jong-un-eats-a-snickers.jpg

That's all. Time to play a few rounds of AVA now :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've had feelings like this in the past and they can be troublesome. But honestly, this happens more when you have too much of an attachment to your favorite celebrities, it's why I feel it's ideal to be somewhat indifferent to the idols themselves and focus on their music/acting/whatever you like about them.

It's a bit harder with k-pop since part of the appeal is that you're supposed to get the impression that you connect with idols on some level, but it's still doable if you rationalise that in the end hurtful comments don't really affect you in any meaningful way. Sure, you feel bad for the idols criticised, but in the end you don't really know them personally, only an image they project, and only have a parasocial relationship, which by definition isn't even real, no matter how depressing that may sound. Plus it's not like negative comments can hurt them directly either, they'll still continue doing their thing while making more money than most people, and entertaining us.

It may not be easy but it's doable, especially if you have some other passions/hobbies to focus on.

In my case, as far as T-ara in concerned, I've only had this feeling with Hwayoung and to a significantly lesser extent, Boram, Ahreum and Qri. For some reason that I can't really understand myself I have a hard time feeling sorry for the Golden Trio and even Soyeon whenever they're bashed for god knows what, even if I like them as performers. Maybe it's the bullying scandal that influenced me without me noticing but as much as they might act cute, nice and likeable(and they can) I just can't fully buy it.

Though I suppose Soyeon is sometimes an exception since, even though I only read the english subtitles and don't understand korean myself, she's just too good at variety for me to care whether she's actually nice or not.

I imagine there aren't many that agree with me :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I imagine there aren't many that agree with me :lol:

Let's just say, i'm a big skeptic myself so I can totally understand your point of view. Behind the curtains isn't exactly the magical land of unicorns like we all like to imagined, yup.

But let's not forget the main purpose of this thread is to share how you deal with fan anxiety instead of passing judgement over the fans or the idol themselves. Especially when you said yourself you don't exactly understand what they're saying thus your argument was based on what? assumptions? It doesn't really serve a purpose other than your own isn't it?

You're entitled to your own opinion ofc, but make sure you're on the right place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Vice_devil

You ain't alone, mate. You ain't alone B)

One thing a LOT of K-pop fans usually forget or simply do not know is that an idol is marketed in a certain way for people to feel 'emotionally connected' to them in various ways (and for those who let it get in their heads completely, they wind up becoming crazy themselves, like the nutjob who attempted to kidnap Taeyeon in the middle of a performance way back in 2011 or those many cases of sasaeng 'incidents').

Essentially, they're marketed as the 'perfect angelic saints' of society, and many people tend to fall for such images.

That being said, even when it comes to using whichever remedy you got to put fan anxiety down whenever it rises, having a dose of reality isn't painful to have. Okay maybe it can be for some, but it's not necessarily a bad thing to swallow in the long shot.

@heraldc

I think what Vice_devil says does actually have some solid points in regards to the topic, even if it may not be fully related to it. He isn't totally wrong, realistically speaking, particularly his second paragraph. Personally, I don't buy it that T-ara would be hurt by internet comments either - after all, they've made more money than any of us will ever make, and by this point, chances are they're probably extremely desensitized by it and probably don't really care any longer unless they're real sissies (which is doubtful).

There are borders that shouldn't be crossed, and sadly, some fans break through that (soyeonfanboy is one extremely notorious case). Anxiety, if not controlled....can lead to undesirable consequences, without realizing it consciously. I think that's what Vice_devil was saying, overall.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@heraldc

Wasn't passing judgement on anyone, I was attempting to be realistic and adress the topic. I wasn't really trying to make an argument in my third paragraph, mostly because I'm not about to go and track down any non-verbal cues I got from the girls in videos that might have given me my impressions and which would be pointless to anyone else, so I suppose I was ranting a bit. Wasn't entirely unrelated though :lol:

@Scatter_88mil

Needless to say at this point perhaps but I agree with you, so place fist somewhere in this area =>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally, I don't buy it that T-ara would be hurt by internet comments either - after all, they've made more money than any of us will ever make, and by this point, chances are they're probably extremely desensitized by it and probably don't really care any longer unless they're real sissies (which is doubtful).

Doubtful indeed, There's no way they're still around if they're a bunch of frail ladies like that. Btw, never thought you're gonna mention the ultimate delulu fan (or, so called fan). lol

Wasn't passing judgement on anyone, I was attempting to be realistic and adress the topic. I wasn't really trying to make an argument in my third paragraph, mostly because I'm not about to go and track down any non-verbal cues I got from the girls in videos that might have given me my impressions and which would be pointless to anyone else, so I suppose I was ranting a bit. Wasn't entirely unrelated though :lol:

Anyway, my point is, keep the discussion around the anxiety stuff, as it is written in the title. I'm not the OP but I kinda get the impression that this is some kinda mini support-thread meant to share how you deal with your fan anxiety, your third paragraph didn't really contribute to that matter.

Tread lightly kids, let's not steal this thread from the OP, shall we? ^_^

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Doubtful indeed, There's no way they're still around if they're a bunch of frail ladies like that. Btw, never thought you're gonna mention the ultimate delulu fan (or, so called fan). lol

Lol, when you speak about extremists in K-pop fandoms, it's almost impossible not to make reference to the most notoriously worst of the worst. I would go as far to say he is the Alex Jones or Jesse Ventura of the T-ara fandom XD.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...